You’ve probably heard your fair share of bizarre weight loss advice over the years, whether it’s to drink celery juice every day or replace your meals with vegetables. With the numerous methods available for losing weight today, you may want to try something new. If you’re trying to lose weight and aren’t afraid of needles, acupuncture can be a part of your weight loss strategy. But before attempting to use this procedure, you should have all the facts about how it can help with weight loss.
How acupuncture helps with weight loss
Here are a few ways acupuncture helps with weight loss:
Enhances digestion
Acupuncture on the kidney and stomach can help improve the functioning of the digestive system and even increase the number of nutrients taken in by the body. The procedure can improve gut health and prevent slow digestion, all of which can help relieve bloating, constipation, and other gastrointestinal issues that may lead to a sedentary lifestyle or fat deposition.
Controls appetite
Acupuncture stimulates the vagus nerve and raises serotonin levels. This increases the tone in the smooth muscle of the stomach, leading to appetite suppression. When one’s appetite is suppressed, one feels full for a longer time. This can help with weight loss.
Increases metabolism
Acupuncture stimulates the thyroid area, thus improving the functioning of your pituitary gland, which is one of the most important parts of the body when it comes to metabolism. When the thyroid area is simulated, your metabolic rate increases, helping you lose weight.
Lowers inflammation
Inflammation or tension in the gut, muscles, and other body tissues can slow metabolism, strain the immune system, and even affect digestion and heart health. Acupuncture for weight loss can reduce oxidative stress and optimize your body’s ability to shed excess weight by relieving tension and regulating the immune response.
Regulates hormone production
Many different body processes like digestion, healing, and cognition can be harmed when your hormone levels are out of balance. For example, altered levels of certain hormones like cortisol, insulin, and thyroid hormones may influence fat distribution and body weight. Acupuncture of the spleen and the Shen Men in the ear has been found effective in balancing hormone levels.
Reduces stress
The inability to cope with stress can cause people to reach for comfort foods and abandon healthy eating habits. When you’re stressed, cortisol levels rise in the body. Increased levels of this hormone may lead to higher levels of insulin—resulting in a decrease in blood sugar. When your blood sugar drops, you crave and consume more sugary and fatty foods. Studies have shown that acupuncture can help decrease the body’s stress response and minimize the various indicators of stress.
Improves sleep
Good-quality sleep is known to aid weight loss efforts. When you don’t get enough sleep, the body’s ability to produce insulin—a hormone that helps convert starch, sugar, and other foods into energy. When the body doesn’t produce insulin properly, it has trouble processing fats from the bloodstream and ends up storing them as fat. Acupuncture can help to promote sleep by quieting the mind, increasing relaxation, and decreasing stress.
Just like any other weight loss strategy, a simple change in behavior or lifestyle may not deliver the results you desire. While acupuncture can help balance your hormones, improve your metabolism, and affect other issues related to weight loss, you should still complement this treatment with a proper diet and regular exercise.
Are you looking for acupuncture treatment in North Vancouver?
If you’ve been struggling with weight loss and are looking to try acupuncture, contact us at Movéo Sport and Rehabilitation Centre.
Our team of skilled and experienced therapists will provide comprehensive acupuncture techniques to help you reach your desired weight and restore your health.
Call us today at (604) 984-8731 or visit our website to book an appointment.
